JPH10261477A - Negative ion generating apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a negative ion generating apparatus of which the tip end part of a discharge electrode is prevented from being erroneously brought into contact with a worker and of which negative ion generation quantity is prevented from being decreased with the lapse of time. SOLUTION: In this negative ion generating apparatus, the surrounding of a needle-like electrode 15 is covered with an electrode cover 17 made of a plastic. While being brought into contact with the outer circumferential face of the electrode cover 17, a power supply wire 19 to lead AC 100V electric power to a circuit unit 13 is fixed in a base board 11 by a fixing tool 21 as to cross the cover 17. The voltage (AC 100V) to be applied to the power supply wire 19 is sufficiently low as compared with the voltage (about from -6kV to -7kV) to be applied to the needle like electrode 15, negative ions accumulated in the electrode cover 17 are absorbed and electric charge of the electrode cover 17 can be removed.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an improvement in a negative ion generator for generating negative ions from air by corona discharge.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an ion-type air purifier has been known as a negative ion generator. This device generally uses a needle-like electrode (needle electrode) 1 whose tip is formed at an acute angle as shown in FIG. 1 (a) as a discharge electrode. Is configured so that it cannot be touched by hand.

[0003]

By the way, in the above-described air cleaning apparatus, the needle electrode 1 is exposed at the time of maintenance or during the manufacturing and assembling process. There has been a problem of injury or damage to the tip of the needle electrode 1. To cope with these problems, as shown in FIG. 1 (b), an air purifier having a configuration in which the outer periphery of the needle electrode 1 is covered with a cylindrical electrode cover 3 made of an insulating material such as plastic. was suggested.

[0004] However, with the above-described structure, even if injury to the operator and damage to the tip of the needle electrode 1 can be avoided, the electrode cover 3 is formed near the needle electrode 1. A new problem arises that the electric field is affected to make the discharge difficult to occur and the amount of negative ions generated is reduced. That is, the electric field distribution near the needle electrode 1 when the electrode cover 3 is not provided is as shown by reference numeral 2 in FIG. On the other hand, the electric field distribution near the needle electrode 1 when the electrode cover 3 is provided is indicated by reference numeral 4 in FIG.
It is in the same state as (a). However, when the electrode cover 3 is used for a long time, the electrode cover 3 is charged with time by negative ions generated at the needle electrode 1, and the electric field distribution near the needle electrode 1 is changed as shown in FIG.
In (c), it changes as indicated by reference numeral 6. Therefore, even if the voltage applied to the needle electrode 1 is the same, the discharge itself is weakened, and the amount of generated negative ions is reduced.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a negative ion generator capable of preventing an operator from making erroneous contact with the distal end portion of the discharge electrode and reducing the amount of negative ions generated over time. .

[0006]

A negative ion generator according to the present invention comprises a discharge electrode for generating negative ions from the air by corona discharge, and comprises an insulating electrode cover member surrounding the discharge electrode. , A conductive member disposed on the outer periphery of the electrode cover member.

In the negative ion generator according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, a needle electrode is used as the discharge electrode.

[0008] According to the above configuration, since the insulating electrode cover member surrounds the discharge electrode, the operator may accidentally come into contact with the tip of the discharge electrode and be injured during the maintenance of the apparatus or the manufacturing and assembling process. And the tip of the needle electrode is not damaged. Further, since the conductive member is arranged on the outer periphery of the electrode cover member, even if negative ions generated at the discharge electrode accumulate in the electrode cover member, the negative ions are absorbed by the conductive member. Therefore, a decrease in the amount of negative ions generated over time is prevented.

In a modification of the above-described embodiment, the conductive member is grounded. Therefore, the negative ions accumulated in the electrode cover member are grounded through the conductive member, so that the effect of removing the negative ions is further improved, and a decrease in the amount of generated negative ions with time is further suppressed.

In another modified example of the above-described embodiment, an electric wiring which is in contact with the electrode cover member and which is applied with a voltage lower than the voltage applied to the discharge electrode is used as the conductive member. As the electric wiring, for example, there is a power supply wiring for connecting a commercial power supply to a high voltage generating circuit that supplies a high voltage to the discharge electrode.

By using the above-described power supply wiring, the effect of removing negative ions accumulated on the electrode cover member is further improved, as in the above-described modification. The decrease in the amount of generated negative ions over time is further suppressed.

[0012]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the entire configuration of the negative ion generator according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0014] The above-described apparatus, as shown in FIG.
, A circuit unit 13 of the device, a needle electrode 15, an electrode cover 17, a power supply wiring 19, and a fastener 21.
The substrate 11 is made of an insulating material such as plastic, and a circuit unit 13 is mounted on the substrate 11. The needle electrode 15 protrudes from the side surface of the circuit unit 13 and the tip thereof faces one edge of the substrate 11. The electrode cover 17 is also made of an insulating material such as plastic, like the substrate 11, and covers the periphery of the needle electrode 15 as illustrated. The power supply wiring 19 is
The fastener 2 is for guiding a 100V power supply to a power supply circuit (indicated by reference numeral 20 in FIG. 4) in the circuit unit 13 so as to contact and cross the outer surface of the electrode cover 17.
1 fixed to the substrate 11.

FIG. 3 schematically shows the structure of the needle electrode 15 and the electrode cover 17 described above.
Is attached and fixed so as to surround a part of the outer peripheral surface of the electrode cover 17 in contact with a part of the outer peripheral surface of the electrode cover 17 as shown in the figure.

The voltage of the power supply wiring 19 (AC 100 V)
Is the voltage applied to the needle electrode 15 (about -6 KV to -7 KV)
Are sufficiently lower than the above, and the potential is stable. Therefore, by attaching and fixing the power supply wiring 19 to the outer peripheral surface of the electrode cover 17 as described above, the negative ions accumulated in the electrode cover 17 are absorbed, and the electrode cover 1 is removed.
7 can be removed.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the configuration of the circuit unit 13 provided in the negative ion generator shown in FIG.

The circuit unit 13 includes a power supply circuit 20
, A transistor (Tr) switch 23 and an oscillation circuit 2
5, a piezoelectric transformer 27, a diode 29, and the needle electrode 15 described above. The power supply circuit 20 has AC100
V is rectified to a predetermined DC voltage and output. The Tr switch 23 is turned on / off to drive / stop the negative ion generator under the control of a control unit (not shown), and is provided in a power supply path connecting the power supply circuit 20 and the oscillation circuit. Only when it is on, the negative ion generator is driven.

When the Tr switch 23 is on, the oscillation circuit 25 is driven by power supply from the power supply circuit 20 to generate a high-frequency voltage, and outputs this high-frequency voltage to the piezoelectric transformer 27. The piezoelectric transformer 27 boosts the high-frequency voltage from the oscillation circuit 25 and applies it to the diode 21. The diode 21 is connected between the needle electrode 15 and the input of the piezoelectric transformer 27 in the illustrated manner so that only the negative high voltage out of the high voltage output from the piezoelectric transformer 27 is applied to the needle electrode 15. Is done. The needle electrode 15 generates a corona discharge by a negative high voltage applied through the diode 21. The molecules in the air are negatively ionized by the corona discharge generated at the tip of the needle electrode 15.

As described above, in one embodiment of the present invention, the voltage applied to the needle electrode 15 (about -6 KV to -7 K
V), the size differs by one or more digits (AC10
0V, which is close to 0 when viewed from the applied voltage) and
The power supply wiring 19, which is also stable in potential, is connected to the electrode cover 1.
7 was attached and fixed. Therefore, the electrode cover 17
Negative ions accumulated in the wire can be absorbed by the power supply wiring 19,
This makes it possible to prevent the electrode cover 17 from being charged to a negative potential.

FIG. 5 schematically shows a configuration of a needle electrode and an electrode cover according to a first modification of the embodiment of the present invention. The electrode cover 17 according to this modification has an outer peripheral surface thereof. For example, a conductor such as a metal plate 31 is adhered to the above.

With this configuration of the electrode cover 17, negative ions accumulated in the electrode cover 17 can be absorbed by the metal plate 31, thereby preventing the electrode cover 17 from being charged to a negative potential. Is possible. If the entire electrode cover 17 is made of metal,
It is not preferable because a discharge occurs between the needle electrode 15 and the electrode.

FIG. 6 schematically shows a configuration of a needle electrode and an electrode cover according to a second modification of the embodiment of the present invention. In this configuration, the metal plate 31 provided in the modification of (1) is grounded.

With such a structure, the negative ions accumulated in the electrode cover 17 can be dropped to the ground through the metal plate 31, thereby preventing the electrode cover 17 from being charged to a negative potential. Is possible.

FIG. 7 shows a negative ion generator according to one embodiment of the present invention described above, a negative ion generator according to the first and second modifications of the embodiment, and a negative ion generator according to a conventional negative ion generator. It is a figure showing the comparison result of the amount of ion generation.

As is apparent from FIG. 7, in the conventional apparatus which does not take any measures for eliminating the negative charge charged on the electrode cover 17, immediately after the apparatus is started as shown by a curve 101, The concentration becomes almost zero.

On the other hand, in the negative ion generator according to the embodiment, as shown by the curve 103, until the lapse of 10 minutes from the start of the apparatus, the average is approximately 30,000 (pieces / piece).
It can be seen that the concentration is maintained at or above cc). Also,
In the negative ion generator according to the second modification, the curve 105
As shown by, immediately after the apparatus is started, about 38000 (pcs / c)
It rapidly decreases from c) and drops to about 25000 (pieces / cc). After that, although there is a slight increase / decrease change centering on 30000 (pcs / cc), the concentration of 30000 (pcs / cc) or more is maintained after 10 minutes from the start of the apparatus, as in the embodiment. You can see that. Further, in the negative ion generator according to the first modification, the curve 1
As shown in FIG.
Although it may decrease to near 00 (pieces / cc), it fluctuates around 20,000 (pieces / cc).
It can be seen that a density of about (pieces / cc) is maintained.

From the above comparison results, one embodiment of the present invention,
It has been clarified that the negative ion generators according to the first and second modified examples can generate negative ions more stably at a relatively high concentration than the conventional negative ion generator.

It should be noted that the above-mentioned contents relate only to one embodiment of the present invention, and do not mean that the present invention is limited to only the above-described contents.

[0030]

As described above, according to the present invention,
It is possible to provide a negative ion generator capable of preventing an operator from making erroneous contact with the distal end portion of the discharge electrode and reducing the amount of negative ions generated over time.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration of a needle electrode and an electrode cover of a conventional negative ion generator.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the overall configuration of a negative ion generator according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration of a needle electrode and an electrode cover of the negative ion generator of one embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram of a circuit unit of the negative ion generator of one embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a schematic view showing a configuration of a needle electrode and an electrode cover according to a first modification of the embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration of a needle electrode and an electrode cover according to a second modification of the embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a view showing a comparison result of the amount of negative ions generated in the negative ion generator of one embodiment, the negative ion generator of each modified example, and the conventional negative ion generator.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 Substrate 13 Circuit unit 15 Needle electrode 17 Electrode cover 19 Power supply wiring 20 Power supply circuit 21 Fastener 23 Transistor switch 25 Oscillation circuit 27 Piezoelectric transformer 29 Diode 31 Metal plate

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A negative ion generator including a discharge electrode for generating negative ions from the air by corona discharge, comprising: an insulating electrode cover member surrounding the discharge electrode; A negative ion generator comprising: a conductive member; 2. The negative ion generator according to claim 1, wherein said discharge electrode is a needle electrode. 3. The negative ion generator according to claim 1, wherein the conductive member is grounded. 4. The negative ion generator according to claim 1, wherein the conductive member is in contact with the electrode cover member.
The negative ion generator is an electric wiring to which a voltage lower than the voltage applied to the discharge electrode is applied. 5. The negative ion generator according to claim 4, wherein the electric wiring is a power supply wiring for connecting a commercial power supply to a high voltage generating circuit that supplies a high voltage to the discharge electrode. Negative ion generator.